


Are You Trying to Get Cancer?

by Harper44



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: F/M, Flirty, Flirty Link, Fluffy, M/M, bisexual Rhett, college rhink, don't quote me on the sexualities i know people disagree, lifeguard AU, lifeguard rhett, meet cute?, pansexual link, rhett and link - Freeform, rhink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 08:08:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25700062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harper44/pseuds/Harper44
Summary: Rhett is a lifeguard and it's a pretty easy job, until one day a man too attractive for his own good begins coming to the pool.
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Comments: 22
Kudos: 51





	Are You Trying to Get Cancer?

Rhett has never really questioned his sexuality in the past. He can admit some men are hot, but he’s only dated girls and that’s satisfied him plenty. That is, until the summer after his freshman year of college. 

As a lifeguard, it’s hard not to check people out, but Rhett tries to keep it respectful. He’d never want women to feel unsafe at the pool because of him and he’s already aware of his intimidating size. 

The object of his sexual questioning walks in on the first morning of summer break. Rhett works the morning shift and he’s on the stand when Link Neal walks outside. He’s heard of Link. He knows he’s outgoing and flirty, infamous for flirting with anyone and everyone. He’s also known for his crooked smile and sexy blue eyes. Rhett has never taken serious note of any of this until today. The sun hits his glossy black hair just right, not to mention the way it illuminates the rest of his body, private parts covered only by a neon green speedo. Shaking his head slightly, Rhett returns his attention to the handful of people in the pool, shoving away the arousal and panic that just gripped him. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he notices he’s not the only interested party. There are some other college students out tanning and their attention is also gripped by Link. He chats up a couple of girls and asks them to rub tanning oil on his back. Rhett keeps his attention on the opposite end of the pool to keep from watching that. At last, Rhett’s coworker relieves him and he speed walks to the guard office to catch his breath. Through the window, his eyes travel down the plane of Link’s back who’s laid out on his stomach in the sun. When he realizes what he’s doing, Rhett quickly turns his chair away from the window, mumbling to himself, “What the fuck am I thinking?”

His imagination doesn’t listen to his scolding and he slowly turns back to the window. He finds himself thinking that Link can get any guy or girl he wants, so he’d never want him. And then he starts wondering when he ever started being attracted to guys or thinking about guys wanting him. 

His next rotation is just as much of a struggle, if not more so because there are less people in the pool. His gaze drifts to Link far too often and his excuse is that he’s worried about the man getting a sunburn. When Link jumps in the nearly empty pool, Rhett almost loses it. He watches that toned and lean body swim a few laps before he floats on top of the water for a while, the picture of relaxation. Arms tense as he pushes up out of the pool, drops of water roll and glisten down Link’s torso, image almost sinful. Rhett squeezes his eyes shut for a second and then refrains from looking at the man for the remainder of his shift. He treats himself to his favorite burger joint when he gets off work; he thinks he deserves it for the extreme amount of self control he exercised today. 

For several weeks, Link returns to the pool every weekday without fail during Rhett’s shift. He does things that Rhett would think are almost aimed at him, but he blames it on his overactive and horny imagination. He tries to work up the courage to talk to him, but no good opportunities present themselves.

One Friday morning, Rhett is sitting in the office messing around on his phone and nearly jumps out of his chair when someone speaks from behind him. “Hey man, you mind getting a spot on my back I can’t reach?” Rhett stands up and whirls around, suddenly towering over Link who was standing closer than he anticipated. “Woah, didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Oh you’re fine! Wasn’t paying attention.” He struggles to keep his work persona on while staring down into those fabled blue eyes. They’re so much bluer than he thought up close. Rhett glances to the side out the window, wondering why he didn’t ask someone else to help. 

Link notices the movement. “The only other person is in the pool and I know I can’t bother the guard on the stand. Hope it’s alright that I’m bothering you,” he winks.

“Oh yeah, no problem. Guess it’s what I’m here for.” Rhett probably isn’t actually here to rub oil on hot guys’ backs, but there’s no way he’s turning it down now. Over the past couple weeks he’s been getting comfortable with the idea of being attracted to guys, so maybe this will help him work up the nerve to ask Link out eventually. 

Once his well oiled hand is hovering over Link’s back, he begins to doubt that assumption. This man has the most attractive back he’s ever seen, if that’s even a thing. It’s all defined muscles and lines that conveniently lead the eye down, down, down to a narrow waist and hips. He exhales quietly and places his hand on warm skin, inhaling again before carefully rubbing it around to properly cover the parts of his back he can’t reach. Rhett knows he lingers longer than necessary, but he almost can’t help it and Link doesn’t say a word. At last, he removes his hand and Link steps away, throwing a grin and a “Thanks!” over his shoulder. He stands there with his hand raised for a solid minute, willing down the beginnings of an erection and wondering what the hell just happened. Finally, he rubs the excess oil into his own skin and collects his things to get on stand. This is going to be a long shift.

Link asking for Rhett’s help becomes a recurring theme over the next few days. Neither of them mention the presence of other people at the pool who could help Link instead. Hopefully, it’s not just in Rhett’s imagination that Link slowly ups the ante on some flirting, but Rhett refrains from flirting back for fear he’s overestimating his own importance.

This particular morning, Link is the only one in the pool, so Rhett watches him unabashedly under the guise of it being his job. During his thirty minutes on the stand, he works up the courage to speak to him outside of their daily tanning oil application as he floats lazily in the water. “Are you trying to get cancer or something?” Rhett asks with a small smile.

Link grins up at him from his position on his back. “Tryna’ get laid by a hot lifeguard, more like.”

Heat coils in Rhett’s stomach at that. He gestures toward the guard office, “Well, I don’t know which way you swing, but Courtney is really nice.”

“I swing every which way, baby, but I do have my eyes on a very particular masculine lifeguard who’s apparently also very oblivious.”

Rhett grins and blushes, the heat in his stomach growing warmer. “That guy must be an idiot if he doesn’t notice you.”

Link rights himself and walks closer to the lifeguard stand, craning his neck to look up at Rhett. “I have tried my hardest to get him to notice me.”

“Surely you don’t have trouble getting people’s attention.”

He leans on his arms on the side of the pool, “Not usually. This one, though, he’s different. Respectful and sweet even though I think he’s got it bad for me. I’ve got it bad for him too, don’t tell him though.”

Rhett loves how much Link seems to be enjoying this game. He slips down to sit on the ladder of the stand so he can be closer. “Is he attractive?”

“Ha, is that even a question? He’s got tanned legs that go for days, golden blonde curls I’d love to get my hands in. I love it when he forgoes a shirt when he’s on duty, like to get my mouth on those abs and pecs. Thought about fake drowning to get some mouth to mouth from him.”

“I don’t think you have to go that far. Maybe you should just ask him.” Rhett raises his eyebrows.

“Alright then, handsome. Go out with me?”

“Of course, gorgeous. I get off work in thirty minutes then I wanna take you to lunch, so get that sexy ass into some decent clothes.” He climbs back up on stand then leans forward to watch Link pull himself up out of the pool.

Once he’s standing upright, their faces are much closer. Link grins and there’s a twinkle in his eye. “You’ll learn soon enough that I’m never decent.”

“I’m counting on it.”

**Author's Note:**

> Go check out my tumblr @harper44


End file.
